This article was published on KaijuRamenMedia.com on May 18, 2022. To read the original, click here
Production appears to be moving on the next entry of the MonsterVerse. After the success of Godzilla vs. Kong, it seemed inevitable that Legendary would move forward with a fifth movie. Adam Wingard, who directed Godzilla vs. Kong, is confirmed to be returning to the director’s chair for this film and now, none other than, Dan Stevens is attached to star.
Dan Stevens and Adam Wingard first worked together on the 2014 thriller The Guest and Stevens went on to star as the Beast in Beauty and the Beast and David Haller in the X-Men show Legion. He’s become a beloved actor in many circles so his involvement could point to exciting things. While the MonsterVerse has attracted some very talented actors in the past, a major criticism of the films is that they get very little to do. Famously Bryan Cranston didn’t even make it out of the first act in Godzilla and most of the non-monster scenes in Godzilla vs. Kong were cut to make room for more monster brawls.
Adam Wingard has a pretty mixed bag when it comes to his filmography. Movies like The Guest is beloved but he also directed the poorly received American Death Note film. There also is a worrying desire forming in some spaces of the MonsterVerse fandom that could result in future films shying away from human drama in favor of monster brawls. But, that said, Dan Stevens and Adam Wingard have a relationship that could point to the opposite. Bringing on an actor like him would, hopefully, mean the human role in the film will be more substantial this time around.
No other casting announcements have been made at this time and it’s unclear if any from the first films will return. So far the MonsterVerse hasn’t carried over to many main characters from previous films. So far Ken Watanabe, Sally Hawkins, Millie Bobbie Brown, and Kyle Chandler have been the only cast members to appear in more than one film. Sadly, their character arcs haven’t faired any better because of it. If the rumors of this being a Kong-centered film are true, then it’s possible Alexander Skarsgard and Rebecca Hall could return in some capacity. Perhaps Millie Bobbie Brown will be the first actor to return a third time. Only time will tell.
At this time, information on the upcoming MonsterVerse film is light and will likely stay that way for a number of months. Fans of the MonsterVerse can take heart, however, knowing that a new film is in active development. With a Netflix anime centered on Kong, an AppleTV+ live-action series centered on Godzilla, and this, MonsterVerse fans can sleep easy with the knowledge that the franchises’ future is secured.